Lake County, Indiana

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.4 | 500,598 people · 15th most distressed in Indiana
American Default Research

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Lake County, IN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.4 — 1256th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Indiana, it ranks 15th of 92 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Lake County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 73.6 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 73.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 81
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 85
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 70
Homeownership Rate 67
Rent-to-Income Ratio 66
Debt & Delinquency 72.3
Debt in Collections 63
Medical Debt 49
Student Loan Delinquency 71
Auto Loan Delinquency 83
Credit Card Delinquency 71
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 97
Income & Poverty 52.8
Poverty Rate 56
Income vs. State Median 41
Child Poverty Rate 61
Employment & Wages 40.3
Unemployment Rate 41
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 57
Business Formation Rate 22
Community Vulnerability 32.9
Uninsured Rate 38
Disability Rate 28

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Lake County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Lake County
Lake County, IN 54.4 Elevated —
Kankakee County, IL 55.2 Elevated +0.9
Newton County, IN 51.1 Elevated -3.2
Cook County, IL 50.8 Elevated -3.6
Jasper County, IN 38.0 Normal -16.4
Porter County, IN 36.6 Normal -17.7
Will County, IL 36.4 Normal -18.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Lake County
Jefferson County, AL 54.5 Elevated +0.2
Guilford County, NC 54.2 Elevated -0.2
Spartanburg County, SC 54.1 Elevated -0.2
St. Clair County, IL 54.6 Elevated +0.2
Brevard County, FL 54.8 Elevated +0.4

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Lake County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Lake County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Lake County.

CITY OF GARY DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Gary
219-881-5075-6753 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES, INC dba CoACTION
Crown Point
800-826-7871
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab
NORTHWEST INDIANA REINVESTMENT ALLIANCE
Hammond
219-750-1206
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingHome Improvement/Rehab

See all counselors in Indiana →

Find an Attorney

Indiana State Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Indiana State Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service 317-639-5465

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Lake County residents at no cost.

Indiana Legal Services (ILS) 317-631-9410 (Indianapolis); 1-888-529-4917 (statewide hotline)
Legal Aid Society of Tippecanoe County 765-742-1050
Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic 317-429-4131

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Indiana →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Lake County, Indiana?

    Lake County has a County Distress Index score of 54.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,256th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 15th in Indiana out of 92 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lake County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lake County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 73.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Lake County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lake County (54.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Kankakee County, IL (55.2); Newton County, IN (51.1); Cook County, IL (50.8).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • What is the population of Lake County?

    Lake County, Indiana has a population of approximately 500,598 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.